Date-stamped : 26 Jul94 - 18:27
Wessels the key as tourists head towards success.

South African former Test opening batsman Barry Richards looks at
his compatriots' efforts

I have been surprised at how quickly South Africa have taken this
game  by  the  throat. I sensed at the outset that the emotion of
the occasion was inhibiting their natural flow and  that  it  was
only  when  Kepler Wessels stamped his authority in the first in-
nings that they truly found themselves. Wessels was always  going
to  be the key to how well the side functioned - not just because
he is captain but also because of his exprience - particularly in
a  previous Lord's Test, which must be the most daunting of chal-
lenges for a newcomer. How well or badly he performed  was  bound
to  be  a  weathervane for the performance of the whole side. His
century may not have had the grace of one from Graeme Pollock but
it  was  certainly  pugnacious,  and his stand with Gary Kirsten,
when South Africa were  precariously  balanced,  epitomised  what
this  team is all about. It was only when these two were together
that South Africa were able to reach a stage  of  domination.  If
you  just wanted one word to sum them up it would be tough. Where
the game really turned round was the bowling of Fanie de Villiers
after  tea  on  Friday, and also the fielding. De Villiers looked
nervous at the start. He was also was wayward, but very swift. He
bowls  the  unplayable  ball which gets the good players out, and
that is why he is such an exciting bowler.  De Villiers  has  the
ability  to  bowl very well with the old ball and get that little
bit of movement. He does not vary his pace, but varies  where  he
bowls from and that gives him a different angle all the time. His
dismissal of Graeme Hick was a great example of that. His use  of
the crease throws doubt into the batsman's mind as to which balls
to leave. That is why so many of his victims are  caught  behind.
The  quality of fielding was no more than we have come to expect.
Jonty Rhodes is a genuine all-rounder in my book. He has only  to
make  20  with the bat to contribute 50 runs to his side, because
he saves 30 in the field. The reluctance of the  England  batsmen
to  take  a  single to him was very evident. You don't rotate the
strike and the pressure builds up because the runs dry up.  South
Africa  have  a  simple strategy in the field. First an attacking
field with Allan Donald. Then dry up the runs  with  a  fast  and
quick  ring  field,  three in covers, three on leg, all with good
throwing arms to restrict the run-rate, which frustrates the  op-
position  and  never  allows the batsmen to gain any momentum. It
isn't a pretty strategy and some would say it is  defensive,  but
there is no doubt it is very effective. I think Wessels will look
for an overall lead in excess of 400. He will make  sure  England
can't win  the match and give himself a minimum of 4 1/2 sessions
to bowl them out. He has enough time to sense victory. If  we  go
one-up  in  the  series I would like to think he will not retreat
into his shell. He is fairly sensitive  to  criticism  and  there
were  people  who  wrote  and spoke against his defensive tactics
against Australia to the extent he thought it necessary to reply.
That will not have been lost on him or any of the selectors. Eng-
land really disappointed me. They came into the match  with  high
expectations.  This is not the greatest batting wicket and I felt
that after Alec Stewart was undone by one that  kept  a  bit  low
there was inhibition and a lack of urgency. I have always been an
admirer of Graham Gooch, but my memories of him are as an opening
batsman,  where  I feel he should be today. He is better with the
ball coming on, having the quicker bowlers  to  contend  with.  I
would  love  to turn the clock back 25 years. We were due to tour
in 1970 and I came over early to play for  Hampshire.  We  had  a
game  at  Trent  Bridge,  where  there  was barbed wire round the
field, and I had the sense then that a tour was going to be  very
difficult. I never got to Lord's, which was very sad for me. Eng-
land should be playing a left-hander. South Africa  do  not  bowl
particularly well to left-handers; it needs an adjustment of line
and length. Neil Fairbrother and Graham Thorpe are both  bustling
types,  scoring  runs  and good in the field. My heart says Robin
Smith should have played. He is such a good player of medium-pace
bowling. It seems he got bogged down with the technical stuff. If
he remembers how he got in - by powerful stroke-play - I think he
would  still be a force for England in Australia. With the depar-
ture from the Test scene of men of the character of  David  Gower
and Allan Lamb it puzzles me why the new breed of England batsmen
are failing to stamp their authority on an innings.  People  like
Stewart  and  Hick have all the ability at Test level but they do
not seem to want to grab the game by the scruff of its  neck  and
say  to the opposition bowlers: "I'm here. Come and get me if you
can." 

(Extracted from The Sunday Telegraph)
<END> Contributed by Vicky (VIGNESWA@*umass.edu)